Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat with President Ram Nath Kovind
General Bipin Rawat was on Monday appointed India's first Chief of Defence Staff. Bipin Rawat is the outgoing Indian Army Chief. The government notified his appointment on Monday evening. He assumed the post of the Army Chief on December 31, 2016. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) will be a single-point military adviser to the government as suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999, official sources said. Chief of Defence Staff will be first among equals with respect to Chiefs of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. He will be accorded the rank of a four-star officer which the three service chiefs are. The Chief of Army Staff is expected to be just ahead in protocol with respect to the three service chiefs.
Chief of Army Staff Bipin Rawat will focus on better planning and procurement of funds for three wings of Indian armed forces.
CDS can serve up to maximum age of 65 years, Govt amends rules
The defence ministry on Sunday amended rules to allow the Chief of Defence Staff to serve up to a maximum age limit of 65 years. The changes have been made in the service's rules of the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force for extension of retirement age of the Chief of Defence Staff to a maximum of 65 years if a service chief is appointed to the post. However, the tenure of the CDS is yet to be announced.
In a landmark decision, the Cabinet Committee on Security on December 24 approved the creation of the CDS who will act as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all matters relating to tri-services.
According to existing rules, the service chiefs can serve for a maximum period of three years or till attaining the age of 62, whichever is earlier.
The CDS will not be eligible to hold any government post after demitting office.
The CDS will not be allowed to take up any private employment without prior approval for a period of five years after demitting the office, officials said.
In a landmark military reform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 announced that India will have a CDS as head of the tri-services.
Days after the prime minister's announcement, an Implementation Committee headed by Doval was appointed to finalise an enabling framework and determine the exact responsibilities for the CDS.
(With PTI inputs)
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